This is my first time on a forum, and AA in general. I have had a drink problem since my mid 20's and now at 34 (soon to be 35) I can admit I have a problem. it is destroying my career, and relationship. it feels so good just to write this.....to admit it. I was sober only a week and already Ive had a relapse, stress, work, family, and relationships are all my triggers. hoping to attend my first meeting in the next few weeks (work allowing). So yeah this is me lol. Any suggestions to counter act cravings would be helpful, or ways to manage my triggers. other than that, hi

Yes, we alcoholics use every excuse to stay drunk. Thats powerlessness and un-manageability. Looks like you already realized that left on your own device, you will drink. Its good to be in such a state, so you can move forward with subsequent steps. As for as cravings/obsession, what I can say is sincerely pray that it gets lifted. Go to meetings, hang around with sober friends. Some club-houses have meetings almost every hour. But, ultimately you will have to dig in and take action. So you can have a different outlook upon life.

Show him, from your own experience, how the peculiar mental condition surrounding that first drink prevents normal functioning of the will power (Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 92)

Welcome to e-AA Crypty, the principle book in which the program we follow is laid out, speaks about alcoholics being unable to stay sober on their own will power, there is a part in chapter three which says - “Some will be drunk the day after making their resolutions; most of them within a few weeks.” You can have a read of this book by Goggling “AA Big Book.” It is not an easy book to read at first, but if you look at chapters near the front like 'The Doctors Opinion' and 'There is a Solution' you will get an idea of what it's about.

You need to believe that what all of us have found is true, if you do what they ask the problem will go away completely, the book says “it does not exist for us,” and you will not miss it, a perfectly normal good life without booze.

Others will be along with encouragement and advise, they are going to say meetings is where you find the solution, and keep in mind that while you will be encouraged to go as often as possible at the start, once we 'get' the solution most of us go a couple of times a week, not really because we have to, but we enjoy showing others what we did. I mention this because some new people get the impression that constant meetings is a 'life sentence,' and that can put them off. Best of luck to you.

"Good morning, this is your Higher Power speaking. I will not be needing your help today."

Welcome I have been sober for 2 months and some days. I too tried it on my own and never stayed sober for more then few days. AA is what is working for me. 1st month was rough. With my job could only go to meeting 6 out of every 14 days. In my 2nd month I finally got up the courage to ask a fellow AA member to sponsor me. Having a sponsor really helped me move forward in the program. I was stalled out and when that happened the obsession to drink again started to get stronger. I can finally say that the obsession is less with everyday that goes by. Still have bad days and obsession creeps into my mind, but only for a short while. Meeting, forms, sponsors and the BB all help.It gets better.

Crypty2468 wrote:This is my first time on a forum, and AA in general. I have had a drink problem since my mid 20's and now at 34 (soon to be 35) I can admit I have a problem. it is destroying my career, and relationship. it feels so good just to write this.....to admit it. I was sober only a week and already Ive had a relapse, stress, work, family, and relationships are all my triggers. hoping to attend my first meeting in the next few weeks (work allowing). So yeah this is me lol. Any suggestions to counter act cravings would be helpful, or ways to manage my triggers. other than that, hi

Hi Crypty and welcome.

AA publishes a pamphlet entitled "An introduction to Alcoholics Anonymous" which has some excellent suggestions for how to deal with the cravings for alcohol most of us experience. It's called the 24-hour plan. Here's the link if you'd like to read it:

‪http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-1_thisisaa1.pdf‬.

Here's an excerpt from the pamphlet:

"...For example, we take no pledges, we don’t say that we will “never” drink again. Instead, we try to follow what we in A.A. call the “24-hour plan.” We concentrate on keeping sober just the current twenty-four hours. We simply try to get through one day at a time without a drink. If wefeel the urge for a drink, we neither yield nor resist. We merely put off taking that particulardrink until tomorrow....."

The 24-hour plan worked really well for me when I was getting sober. Oldtimers at meetings suggested that on those days that seemed really long that breaking it down to postponing that first for an hour at a time or a minute at a time or even a second at a time would get me through the day. It did!

Please feel free to ask any other questions that you have.

Keep coming back…..

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Get to a meeting as soon as you can and ask for help. It was difficult in the beginning for me to ask for help...but when I did some really great oldtimers lifted me up and kicked my ass into action. I got a sponsor my second meeting and we got busy working the steps. I went fairly quickly through the steps and have lost the obession to drink completely. Its amazing what those 12 steps have done for me...and if you're willing you can have it too. Come join us my friend!

We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others. BB pg 132